Know Before You Go

Updates The Wildlife Conservation Society is temporarily closing the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and NY Aquarium, effective March16, 2020. Our five parks will be closed and education and public programs will be cancelled or postponed.

This action is being taken as city and state leaders have called on businesses to voluntarily close to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19; and following declarations of states of emergency in the United States, New York State and New York City.

We are committed to the safety of our staff, volunteers, guests and community. During this period when the parks are closed, essential animal care and operations staff will continue to provide care for our animals without disruption. For the past weeks, we have developed plans to ensure our animals will be well cared for in the event of a disruption to regular operations due to COVID-19.

We understand that this closure has interrupted plans for WCS Members and visitors. For that reason, if you have previously purchased tickets for a zoo visit we will honor/accept them on any future date in 2020. WCS Members will automatically have their Membership extended by a month or more depending on the length of the closures. If you have specific concerns, please reach out to Member Services at membership@wcs.org or customer care team at guestrelations@wcs.org.

What if I have admission tickets that are expiring? If you previously purchased tickets for a zoo visit, we will honor/accept them on any future date in 2020. But for any specific concerns or unique circumstances, please reach out to our customer care team at guestrelations@wcs.org. For special events or program tickets for Wild Encounters or Education programs, please wait for specific instructions and updates about those experiences. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES: There are many indoor buildings/exhibits, and even more outdoor areas to explore across our 265 acres. Be sure to plan ahead and dress for the weather.

SOME EXPERIENCES ARE WEATHER-DEPENDENT: We appreciate your understanding if an animal or attraction is unavailable during your visit. When you are at the park, you can check on current status and schedules using our mobile-friendly site: BronxZoo.com/TODAY

STROLLER RESTRICTIONS: For safety reasons, strollers are prohibited from some indoor exhibits. Stroller parking is also required for rides. Whether using a zoo rental stroller or your personal stroller, we recommend having your personal items packed up to be easily removed when parking. Self-parking stroller areas are adjacent to exhibit entrances. Take your belongings with you when parking your stroller.

PEAK SUMMER CROWDS HAPPEN ON WEEKENDS AND ON WEDNESDAYS: If possible, plan a visit to avoid peak times. Please understand that you may encounter large crowds and lines during a visit. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Arrive early. We open at 10am, and being at the park in the morning usually means a quicker entry and availability of rides.

If you are looking to rent any mobility equipment (strollers, manual wheelchairs, ECVs), we suggest arriving before 11am. While we do have a large inventory, the items are available on a first come first serve bases. It is not uncommon for all equipment to be rented by noon on a very busy day.

Use mass transit if possible! The zoo is convenient for subway (2/5) and express bus (BxM11), and MetroNorth is nearby too. On summer weekends the parking lots can fill to capacity before noon, and there is limited alternative parking options in the area.